Drinks

One of the easiest and fastest ways you can improve your health and weight is by re-evaluating your beverages. Do you drink regular sodas, specialty coffee drinks, sports drinks, juices, energy drinks or alcohol?

The calories in drinks do not make us feel full, but can certainly make us fat. Save any of the calorie rich drinks listed above for special occasions. On typical days enjoy a mix of plain water, low-fat milk, tea, coffee, infused water and or sugar-free drinks.

Water:

• Water flushes out of vital organs
• Carries nutrients to your cells
• Provides moisture for tissue in the ear, nose and throat
• Staying hydrated keeps you from misinterpreting thirst for hunger

Low Fat Milk:

• Improves bone health
• May reduce risk of osteoporosis
• Associated with reduced risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes
• Associated with lower blood pressure in adults
• Contains calcium, potassium and vitamin D

Tea and Coffee

• High in antioxidants (do not add sweeteners or milk to get all health benefits)
• Improves mental alertness and thinking
• Choose green tea for the greatest health benefits

*Drink in moderation. Drinking too much can cause insomnia, nervousness, restlessness, irritability and upset stomach

Infused Water (See recipes below):

• Low calorie
• High in vitamin C – improves iron absorption, synthesis of collagen, wound healing
• Fiber
• Various antioxidants
• Potassium – electrolyte, critical for heart function and muscle contraction

*If using citrus (lemon, lime, oranges, etc.) or carbonation, consume these in moderation as excess can erode teeth

For more information on fruits and vegetables, selection, storage and recipes: www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov/

Natural Sweeteners

Sugar, honey and agave nectar have little to no nutritional value = empty calories.

Curious about artificial sweeteners? See my post here about artificial sweeteners.

Drink Recipes

Herb Cucumber Water

• 6 cups chilled still spring or mineral water
• 12 thin slices cucumber
• 4 thin slices lemon
• 2 sprigs (each 2 in. long) fresh rosemary, slightly crushed

Preparation

In a pitcher, combine water, cucumber, lemon and rosemary. Serve, or cover and chill at least 2 hours or up to 8 hours. Add ice cubes just before serving.

Citrus Cucumber Infused Water

• 1 lemon, sliced
• 1 lime, sliced
• 1 orange, sliced
• 1/2 cucumber, sliced
• 6 cups of water

Raspberry Basil Infused Water

• Large handful of quartered raspberries
• 10 to 12 basil leaves
• 1 gallon of water (16 cups)

Preparation

Add ingredients to pitcher. Fill with chilled water, add ice to further chill.

Preparation
Add ingredients to pitcher. Fill with chilled water, add ice to further chill.

****Everything in moderation – everything shouldn’t be sweet or salty. People who constantly overwhelm their taste buds with these artificial flavors tend to eat more processed foods to get the taste they want and then natural foods aren’t satisfying.

Mandy Seay is a registered and licensed dietitian. She works as a nutrition consultant in Austin, Texas, specializing in diabetes, weight loss, lipid control and preventative nutrition. For more health articles and nutrition information, check out Mandy’s website Nutritionistics.

Breakfast

Of course all meals are very important, none should be skipped, however breakfast appears to be the most important not only because it will break the fast but because it will have an enormous influence on how your day will unfold with regard to energy, concentration, food choices and weight management.

Eat breakfast every day to reap these benefits:

• Reduced hunger throughout the day
• Increased energy and concentration
• Improved problem solving abilities
• Lowered intake of fat and cholesterol for the rest of the day
• Have better weight management
• Better overall health
• Be a good role model for your family

Skip breakfast and possibly:

• Increase the body’s insulin response, increasing fat storage and weight gain
• Over eat later on in the day
• Make poor food choices for the rest of the day
• Reduce your body’s intake of vital nutrition

Benefits for Children

Studies found that breakfast :

• Improved memory function for those who ate breakfast. Those who did not eat breakfast, performed more poorly when recalling a word list, counting backwards and reading a story aloud.
• Reduces absences and incidents of tardiness than those who do not eat breakfast
• Can help improve math, reading and standardized test scores
• Helps children behave better in school
• Increases amount of important nutrients, vitamins and minerals consumed for the day
• Reduces children’s chances of being overweight
• Establishes healthy habits for later in life

*****Breakfast should be high in fiber and low in sugar to help sustain the healthy benefits.

Recipes

Yogurt Parfait

½  cup of Dannon Light and Fit (flavored or plain)

½ cup of whole grain cereal or ¼ cup of low-fat granola (Cheerios or Kashi Go Lean in this example)

½ cup of fruit (banana, blueberries, strawberries)

1/8 cup of sliced almonds to top (optional if using Kashi Go Lean)

Directions:

1. Place half of your yogurt (1/4 cup) in a bowl or cup

2. Place half of granola or cereal on top of the yogurt

3. Place half of fruit serving on top of the granola

4. Add half of almonds to the top

5. Start over with new layer of yogurt and follow steps 2-4 again

Health Benefits:

Yogurt – good for bone health, may reduce blood pressure, help you feel fuller, healthy bacteria

Granola or cereal –provides energy, vitamins, minerals and fiber

Fruit – provides vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants

Almonds – provides protein, fiber, healthy fats and helps you stay fuller longer

Nutrition Breakdown:

Yogurt, Fruit, Cheerios and Almonds

Calories: 207

Fat: 5 g

Cholesterol: 3 mg

Sodium: 158 mg

Carbs: 38 g

Fiber: 3 g

Protein:  8 g

Sugars: 20 g

Yogurt, fruit and Kashi

Calories: 181

Fat: 1 g

Cholesterol: 3 mg

Sodium: 93 mg

Carbs: 42 g

Fiber: 6 g

Protein: 13 g

Sugars: 23 g

Price per serving:

Yogurt, Fruit, Cheerios and Almonds: $ 0.43 per serving

Yogurt, Fruit, and Kashi: $0.35 per serving

Kashi is a more expensive cereal than Cheerios but provides more fiber and protein (so no added protein is needed), so in this comparison Kashi is actually cheaper than purchasing both Cheerios and almonds – though both recipes are very healthy and beneficial.

***Additionally, if you have diabetes and are trying to watch your carbohydrate intake – the fiber in Kashi is high enough to be subtracted. So in this recipe, the net carbohydrates would be 36 grams.

Fast food choices may be comparable in calories, but sugar is usually higher and fiber and protein are typically lower. Not to mention, the price will be at least 4 times greater.

Mandy Seay is a registered and licensed dietitian. She works as a nutrition consultant in Austin, Texas, specializing in diabetes, weight loss, lipid control and preventative nutrition. For more health articles and nutrition information, check out Mandy’s website Nutritionistics.

Smoking and Nutrition

The effects of smoking have been well documented in regard to increased risk for cancer, heart attack, emphysema, various cancers and an overall reduced lifespan, however, you may not be aware of how smoking robs your body of key nutrients which may play a major role in the development of these ailments.

Smoking Effects

According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, cigarettes emit 400 chemicals when they are smoked. Some of these chemicals include ammonia, formaldehyde, cyanide, lead and tar – all very harmful to the body. These chemicals produce free radicals.

Free Radicals

Free radicals are defined by the National Cancer Institute as, “A type of unstable molecule that is made during normal cell metabolism (chemical changes that take place in a cell). Free radicals can build up in cells and cause damage to other molecules, such as DNA, lipids, and proteins. This damage may increase the risk of cancer and other diseases.”

Free radicals are not produced by smoke only, the body naturally produces free radicals when breaking down food, processing alcohol, filtering pollutants, when exposed to radiation, etc. Smoking only stresses the body and reduces the body’s ability to fight the oxidation produced by these free radicals.

Smoking lowers levels and/or reduces activity of the following:

• Vitamin C
• B-carotene
• Selenium
• Zinc
• Vitamin E
• Various B-complex vitamins

To add insult to injury, the Second National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey reports that smokers are less likely to consume fruits and vegetables; the natural sources of antioxidants.

Smoking and Diabetes

Smoking can aggravate conditions such as blood pressure and high cholesterol that many people with diabetes already face. According to the American Diabetes Association, smoking affects those with diabetes in the following ways:

• Smokers who have diabetes have the highest percentage of depression compared to former and never smokers
• Smoking raises the blood sugar level making it harder to control
• Smoking increases the risk for nerve damage which can lead to complications with kidneys, legs, feet, digestion, eyes and sexual function
• Smoking triples the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease in those with diabetes compared to those with diabetes who do not smoke

Antioxidants

The National Institutes of Health defines antioxidants as, “substances that may prevent potentially disease-producing cell damage that can result from natural bodily processes and from exposure to certain chemicals. Although antioxidant molecules counter oxidative stress in laboratory experiments, there is some debate as to whether consuming antioxidants—in food or supplement form—actually benefits health. “

Antioxidants are found in large amounts in fruits, vegetables, grain cereals, teas, legumes and nuts.

While eating a healthy diet is beneficial for many reasons, the only sure way to stop the harmful effects from smoking is to quit.

Antioxidant Supplements

The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine states: “Although observational studies suggest that eating a diet high in antioxidant-rich vegetables and fruits is associated with a lower risk for many chronic diseases, there is limited evidence to support the use of antioxidant supplements to prevent disease. Additional research, including studies supported by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) and other components of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is under way.

Antioxidant supplements are often synthetic (man-made), but some of these synthetic forms may not have the same effects on the body as antioxidants that occur naturally in foods. In addition, some beneficial properties may be lost when antioxidants are extracted from foods to manufacture supplements. There is also some concern that consuming antioxidants in excessive doses may have negative effects.”

How to Quit

No matter where you are in your stage of quitting – thinking about it, preparing, etc. check out Smokefree.gov. You’ll find a wealth of information and even have the opportunity to talk with someone live for help.

Why Quit?

Here are just a few reasons that quitting will be worth your while:

• Feel healthier right away
• Improved skin tone, whiter teeth and fresher breath
• Cough less and breath better
• Save money
• Being a better role model for your family

Mandy Seay is a registered and licensed dietitian. She works as a nutrition consultant in Austin, Texas, specializing in diabetes, weight loss, lipid control and preventative nutrition. For more health articles and nutrition information, check out Mandy’s website Nutritionistics.